Puncher type can opener which provides an air vent



Jan. 14, 1964 s. LANGNER 3,117,374

PUNCHER TYPE CAN OPENER WHICH PROVIDES AN AIR VENT Filed Feb. 5, 1962 Y INVENTOR. 74 16 w SAUL LANGNER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,117,374 PUNfliER TYPE (IAN OPENER WHICH PR8! 1115.5 AN AIR VENT Saul Langner, .iaehson Heights, N.Y., assignor to Tiangner Mtg. 03., New York, N.Y. Fiied Feb. 5, 1%2, Ser. No. 171,122 1 Claim. (Cl. 3l6.1)

This invention relates to a puncher type can opener.

Can openers have been used before but such openers, with which Applicant is aware, consist of a lever suitably formed at one end thereof to puncture a flow opening in the top of the can and suitably formed intermediate the ends of the lever to puncture an air vent in the top of the can remote from the flow opening. Such levers are also formed with a tang designed to hook under the bead around the top of the can to fulcrum the lever. The punctures are achieved by pulling up on the fulcrurned lever so that the puncturing portions thereof are forced downwardly through the metal of the top of the can. Such upward pull on the lever is an awkward operation and requires an undue amount of force to make the openings.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a can opener with means for forming a flow opening and substantially simultaneously forming an air vent, in the top of the can, said forming operation constituting a downward pressure on the opener.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tool of this kind having means for simultaneously forming a flow opening and an air vent in the top of a can.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tool of this kind having means for simultaneously forming a flow opening and an air vent in the top of a can.

Yet another object is to provide a tool of this kind having means for simultaneously forming a flow opening and an air vent in the top of a can during a single rocking of the tool about its axis on the periphery of the can top.

A still further object is to provide a tool of this kind with means for simultaneously forming a flow opening and an air vent in the top of a can, the tool being designed so as to provide increased leverage for such operations.

It is also an object to provide a tool of this kind that, in a single motion thereof, successively forms a flow opening and an air vent closely adjacent the flow opening in the top of the can.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a can opener that is simple and rugged in construction, economical to manufacture and pleasing in appearance.

For further comprehension of the invention, and or the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

in the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a can with a can opener embodying my invention in position, forming a flow opening and an air vent in the can.

FIG. 2. is an enlarged bottom perspective view of the can opener shown in FIG. 1.

PEG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 33 of PEG. 1, the representation of a hand being omitted.

Referring particularly to FIG. 1 of the drawings, herein there is illustrated a cylindrical metal can 10 with a closed top 12 and a closed bottom 14, the tophaving a flange 16 therearound.

A can opener embodying my invention and designated generally by the reference numeral 18 is shown in operative position for puncturing the top 12; of the can. The device 18 is formed of sheet metal and is highly polished 3,1173% Patented Jan. 14, 1964 with nickel plating. The body 26 of the device is flat, thin and substantially triangular in plan. At its broad or rear end, as viewed in HQ. 1, an inwardly tapering extension 2-2 is formed and is bent upwardly and rearwardly at a slight slant as best seen in FIG. 3. The extension 2 2 terminates in a shank portion 24 disposed in a plane ollset from the plane of the body 2%. The shank portion is bent or curved longitudinally and has a flat portion 26 at its juncture with the extension. The shank 2/4 is embedded and fitted into an elongated socket recess 28 in one end of an elongated plastic or bone handle 3% substantially oval in cross section.

The narrow end of the body 2t; is bent or turned upon itself downwardly and rearwardly as indicated at 32 and as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3, the bend terminating in a tapered curved portion constituting a blade 34 with a pointed extremity 36 and with a cutting edge 38 at the point and adjacent thereto. The blade 34 curves away from the body 2i? so that the extremity thereof is substantially pointing perpendicularly away from the body as seen in FIG. 3. The material of the blade 34 is outstruck forming a curved bearing hook 4.8 pointing toward the blade but leaving a space 42 therebetween.

A triangular-shaped blade dd with a pointed end 46 is instruck from the material of the body at its center, the blade extending dovmwardly and perpendicularly to the body as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3 and being formed with a cutting edge 48. The pointed end 36 of the blade 3dextends away from the body a considerable distance beyond the pointed end 46 of the blade 44. A substantially rcctangulanshaped opening 5%) is formed in the body 26 around the blade 44, the blade extending from one long edge of the opening and a short lug 52 is formed on the other long edge of the opening at the center thereof. The lug extends into the opening opposite the blade 44. The material of the body around the base of the lug 52 is slightly dished as indicated at 54 to thin out the protruding edge of the lug.

The invention contemplates use of the device 18 as a device for puncturing the seal found around cans and the like. For this purpose, the edge of one side of the tri angular-shaped body 29 is formed with cutting teeth 62.

The device 18 is also adapted to serve as a device for prying off caps from the tops of cans. For this purpose, the body 29 of the device is formed with a laterally extending lug as along the opposite side edge of the body as shown in MG. 2. The material of the body is dished around the base of the lug 68 as indicated at '70 to provide the lug with a thin penetrating outer edge.

In use, in order to puncture a flow opening and an air vent in the top of the can, the sharp edge of the hook at is placed under the bottom edge of the flange or bead 16 at the top of the can so that the body 20 of the device is disposed at a slight angle to the vertical as shown in dash lines in FIG. 3. At this time, the point 36 of the blade 34- is resting upon the top surface of the top 12 of the can. Downward manual pressure on the handle 3% will swing the device around the top edge of the flange 16 as a fulcrum in a vertical plane thereby forcing the point 3 5 of blade 34 through the material of the top of the can thereby cutting a triangular-shaped flow opening 74 in the top 12, with the apex of the opening facing inwardly. Continued downward movement of the opener around the flange 16 as a fulcrum point causes the blade 44- to penetrate the material of the top 12 and form a hole or air vent 76 in the top adjacent the center thereof and closely spaced from the flow opening '74.

While -I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made Within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent A tool comprising a flat metal substantially triangularshaped body in plan, an extension on one end of the body extending at a slight angle to the plane of the body, said extension terminating in a shank portion disposed at an angle offset from the plane of the body, a curved blade on the other end of the body, said blade curving downwardly and inwardly and having a pointed cutting extremity disposed perpendicularly to and curving outwardly toward said other end of the body, an elongated handle on the shank portion and forming an extension thereof, and means for tying the curved blade to the head portion of the top of a can so that the head portion serves as a fulcrum point in swinging the body downwardly, said means comprising a hook outstruck from the material of the curved blade intermediate its ends, said hook being curved inwardly toward the blade and having a sharp edge for insertion under the head portion of a can top, and another blade instruck from the material of the body and disposed inwardly of the curved blade and perpendicularly of the body in the same direction as the curved blade, said instruck blade being flat with a pointed extremity terminating short of the extremity of the curved blade.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,577,957 Dalman Mar. 23, 1926 1,884,116 Morrow Oct. 2-5, 1932 2,227,421 Bjorak Jan. 7, 1941 2,571,401 Williams Oct. 16, 1951 2,581,875 Palmer Jan. 8, 1952 2,589,742 Smith Mar. 18, 1952 2,612,800 Deier Oct. 7, 1952 2,625,847 Frazier Jan. 20, 1953 2,633,041 Clue et al Mar. 31, 1953 2,715,264 Atwater et al. Aug. 16, 1954 2,741,835 Nagy et a1. Apr. 17, 1956 2,814,102 Hon et a1 Nov. 26, 1957 2,856,804 Whiteley Oct. 21, 1958 3,019,524 Taves Feb. 6. 1962 

